What You Need To Know About Electrophysiology Study
How The Heart Works The heart is a hollow, muscular organ that pumps blood throughout the body. The heart has four chambers, two upper (atria) and two lower (ventricles). The heart depends on its electrical system to deliver signals and make the heartbeat normally. For a normal heartbeat, an electrical signal starts in the sinus node, travels through the right and left atria, then trough the AV node to the right and left ventricles. If a signal starts in a different location, it travels an abnormal pathway. What Is An Electrophysiology Study? In some people, the signal starts elsewhere in the heart and follows an abnormal pathway (see page 1). This can cause the heart to beat very slowly (bradycardia) or very fast (tachycardia). During an electrophysiology (EP) study, two or more catheters (long, flexible wires) are inserted through veins in the leg, arm, and/or ne...